Method and apparatus for training horn players

Abstract

The present apparatus in the preferred and illustrated embodiment comprises first and second rings which are respectively affixed to the mouthpiece and mouth pipe. As force is increased by the musician in holding the mouthpiece against his lips, such force is measured by cooperative measuring means fixed to said first and second means. In the preferred embodiment, the force measuring means includes an aligned pin on one of said means positioned relative to a transducer coil to thereby provide an indication of force. The signal indicative of force is delivered to a time based recorder and is recorded as a function of time along with additional data including sound intensity levels and frequency of the music to provide correlation between force, intensity and frequency as a function of time. A method is also taught including the recording of such data to teach the musician to reduce the force applied against his lips.

We claim: 
     
       1. An apparatus for determining the force applied by a horn musician to his lips during playing, the apparatus comprising: (a) first means affixed to the horn mouthpiece;   (b) second means affixed to the horn mouth pipe;   (c) alignment means between said first and second means; and   (d) means for measuring movement of said alignment means wherein such movement is indicative of the force applied by the musician through the horn against the lips of the musician.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said measuring means responds to the relative movement between said first and second means as force is applied to the horn. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said first and second means are joined by removable clamp means when the horn is not in use. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of claim 3 including resilient means spacing said first and second means apart at a spacing subject to change with horn force and said resilient means is aligned between said first and second means. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said alignment means comprises alignment pins. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of claim 5 including receptacles matching said alignment pins in size and location to receive said pins therein, and wherein said pins and said receptacles comprise an inductively coupled proximity dependent measuring apparatus and is said measuring means. 
     
     
       7. An apparatus for determining the force applied by a horn musician to his lips during playing, the apparatus comprising: (a) first means affixed to the horn mouthpiece;   (b) second means affixed to the horn mouth pipe;   (c) alignment means between said first and second means; and   (d) inductively coupled proximity measuring means between said first and second means for forming a signal indicative of spacing therebetween as an indication of the force applied to the horn.   
     
     
       8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said proximity measuring means responds to relative movement between said first and second means as force is applied to the horn. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said first and second means are joined by removable clamp means when the horn is not in use. 
     
     
       10. A method of determining quality of music comprising the steps of: (a) recording as a function of time musical notes played from a horn;   (b) recording simultaneously as a function of time the force applied by the musician through the horn against the lips of the musician; and   (c) wherein force applied by the musician between the horn and lips of the musician is measured at multiple sensors circumferentially arranged around a horn mouthpiece, and the force at each sensor is individually compared with the forces at the remaining sensors.   
     
     
       11. The method of claim 10 further including the steps of measuring the compressive load applied between horn mouthpiece and mouth pipe as a result of the several forces from said sensors. 
     
     
       12. The method of claim 10 including the step of mounting the horn mouthpiece and mouth pipe for telescoping axial movement, and measuring force as a function of time during playing of specific notes. 
     
     
       13. The method of claim 12 wherein the force is measured during playing of notes at selected frequencies and selected intensities. 
     
     
       14. The method of claim 12 wherein the notes are played in scales. 
     
     
       15. The method of claim 12 wherein the notes are sustained for an interval to permit dynamic transients to settle. 
     
     
       16. The method of claim 12 including the step of analyzing frequency content of the notes. 
     
     
       17. The method of claim 16 including the step of recording frequency content as a function of time.